1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to microwave ovens, and more particularly, to a microwave oven having a cleaning device which generates steam to clean an interior surface of a cooking cavity, and a control method of cleaning the interior surface of the cooking cavity using the cleaning device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a microwave oven is an electrically operated oven which heats and/or cooks food laid in a cooking cavity thereof using high-frequency electromagnetic waves radiated from a magnetron into the cooking cavity. Unlike other types of electrically operated ovens, which heat the surface of food to cook the food, the microwave oven cooks food through a dielectric heating method where an interior of the food is heated. That is, during an operation of the microwave oven, the high-frequency electromagnetic waves, so-called “microwaves”, are radiated from the magnetron into the cooking cavity, and penetrate the food so as to repeatedly change the molecular arrangement of moisture laden in the food. Accordingly, the microwaves cause the molecules of the moisture to vibrate and generate a frictional heat within the food to cook the food.
During a cooking operation of the microwave oven, the food laden with the moisture may sputter and fly in all directions, thus being stuck to an interior surface of the cooking cavity to contaminate the interior surface. Thus, a user must periodically clean the interior surface of the cooking cavity to maintain a clean state of the cooking cavity. Furthermore, the dispersed food pieces which are stuck to the interior surface of the cooking cavity may be encrusted thereon, making it difficult to remove the food pieces from the inner surface of the cooking cavity. Therefore, the user may spend time consuming efforts to clean the interior surface of the cooking cavity.